How to hire a housekeeping staff

How to hire a housekeeping staff, step by step

Here's a step-by-step housekeeping staff hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a housekeeping staff job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new housekeeping staff
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The housekeeping staff hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A housekeeping staff's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, housekeeping staff from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of housekeeping staff and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Housekeeping Staff	Description	Hourly rate
   Housekeeping Staff		$10-17
   Maid	Maids are individuals who perform domestic chores like ironing, grocery shopping, cleaning, and laundry. Primarily, maids oversee the maintenance of wardrobes, serve meals, and lay out clothes... Show more	$9-16
   Environmental Services Worker	The duties of an environmental services worker depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In a medical facility, their responsibilities revolve around preventing the spread of any diseases by thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing areas, properly disposing of hazardous waste, and efficiently sterilizing equipment and apparatuses... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Wet Mops
   • Taking Care
   • Fine Dining
   • Buffing Floors
   • Minor Maintenance
   • Patient Rooms
   • Cleanliness
   • Washing Machines
   • Guest Rooms
   • Public Restrooms
   • Front Desk
   • Compassion
   • Customer Service
   • Hotel Guests

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train and supervise employees, inspect guest rooms and public spaces to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness
   • Operate extractors and driers as needed.
   • Gain skills/ knowledge in OSHA rules and regulations.
   • Assist housekeepers, laundry attendants and dishwashers in daily routines.
   • Repair basic plumbing, HVAC, carpet cleaning, and other maintenance duties
   • Inspect work perform to ensure that it meets specifications and establish Marriott standards.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your housekeeping staff job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A housekeeping staff salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, housekeeping staff' average salary in mississippi is 54% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level housekeeping staff earn 41% less than senior-level housekeeping staff.
   • Certifications. A housekeeping staff with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a housekeeping staff's salary.

   Average housekeeping staff salary

   $13.77hourly

   $28,643 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level housekeeping staff salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a housekeeping staff job description

   A housekeeping staff job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a housekeeping staff job description:

   Housekeeping staff job description example

   Working with KinderCare Learning Companies means using your outstanding talents to help set the foundation for lifelong learners, where you can collaborate with colleagues, grow and learn, and positively impact the families we serve.
   
   With over 50 years of experience, 30,000 employees, and more than 2,000 early learning center programs, we are the most accredited leaders in early childhood education. Together, we create environments where kids grow and thrive. As one of only four companies to receive the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award six times, we're confident that you can grow and thrive here, too. We can't wait to meet you.
   
   Do you enjoy making and keeping places safe and clean? Join KinderCare as a School Housekeeper, you will perform a wide variety of custodial duties to build and maintain a clean, orderly and safe environment for the children we serve!
   When you join our team as a School Housekeeper you will:
   Perform cleaning duties such as cleaning classrooms, floors, restrooms, and hallways Operate cleaning equipment and use designated chemicals and other cleaning products safely and in accordance with instructions Collect and dispose of garbage and waste according to KinderCare's waste removal and recycling policies Qualifications
   
   Required Skills and Experience:
   At least one year of janitorial experience; OR, any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved Work safely in an environment containing chemicals, cleaning materials, dust and noise Understand and carry out oral and written directions Ability to transport products and equipment from room to room Perform physical activities, such as, but not limited to, lifting heavy items (up to 50 lbs. unassisted), bending, standing, climbing, twisting, and walking. Read, write, understand, and speak English to communicate with children and their parents in English Our benefits meet you where you are. We're here to help our employees navigate the integration of work and life:
   Know your whole family is supported with discounted child care benefits. Breathe easy with medical, dental, and vision benefits for your family (and pets, too!). Feel supported in your mental health and personal growth with employee assistance programs. Feel great and thrive with access to health and wellness programs, paid time off and discounts for work necessities, such as cell phones. ... and much more. When you work at a KinderCare Learning Center, each new day is an adventure. You will have the opportunity to directly impact our students and families, encouraging them to become lifelong learners and experiencing all the happiness that comes with it. You will deliver our high-quality proprietary curriculum and apply our time-tested educational techniques, while exploring new, forward-thinking ideas.
   
   As the first national early childcare education provider to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute, we continue to follow the latest science-backed and evidence-based strategies for maintaining a safe and worry-free workplace.
   
   Our highest priority has always been to keep our employees, children, families, and communities as safe and healthy as possible. KinderCare highly encourages its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves and their communities. We are proud to provide paid time off for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We are also subject to state law, local ordinances, and Health Department requirements for employees working in child care, school facilities, and corporate work spaces.
   
   We truly believe that everyone belongs in our circle, and everyone deserves to be celebrated for who they are. By partnering with underrepresented groups and experts in DEI, we are identifying areas to improve and forging a path forward through accountability, compassion, accessibility, and inclusion.
   
   KinderCare Learning Companies is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right housekeeping staff for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your housekeeping staff job on Zippia to find and recruit housekeeping staff candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting housekeeping staff requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new housekeeping staff

   Once you have selected a candidate for the housekeeping staff position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new housekeeping staff first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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